Sycamore High ~ Road To The World League!

Putting The Past Behind Us! CH-68

Narrator: Ash and Serena arrived at professor Sycamore's lab where they got some supplies and medicines for Fletchling. To their surprise, Calem was there too. More surprisingly, he offered Ash and Serena an apology!

Ash looked at Calem with a serious face. Both Calem and Serena looked at him, expecting to say something. "Please, forgive me. Let me prove that I changed." Calem pleaded.

Ash sighed. Serena didn't really know what to say. She really hated what Calem did to her and Ash but she couldn't deny he was sincere.

"Look Calem." Ash started, finally speaking up. "I don't really know why I could trust you but I'm willing to offer you a second chance to redeem yourself. We all did bad stuff in the past and I like to see the good in people instead of being angry forever." Ash said with a small mouth closed smile.

"Really? Thank you so much Ash, you won't regret it!" Calem said in a happy manner. "But that doesn't mean we're friends right away." Ash added to which Calem nodded.

Serena grabbed Ash's hand firmly. Both Ash and Calem looked at her as she spoke. "If Ash thinks it's worth it to give you another chance and maybe become friends-- I'm giving you another chance aswell but I'm keeping a close eye at you as I don't fully trust you yet." Serena said as she squinted her eyes at the last part.

"Thank you Serena, it means really much to me." Calem said as he took a step forward in her direction. But before he could move any further, Serena held her hand infront of him. "That's far enough. As I said, I don't really trust you yet." Serena said in a firm tone.

"Now that's taken care of-- Ash there is some information regarding your upcoming gym battle." Sycamore said, stepping away from the wall where he was leaning on as the scene infront of him unfolded.

"Uhh- sure professor." Ash said, shifting his attention from Calem to the professor. "You are aware that you need to travel to Unova, have you already decided if you go alone or do you have any company on your trip?" Sycamore asked.

"Yes professor! And Serena, Iris and Cilan are coming with me to Unova. I traveled through the region with them so it only seemed fair to me I'd ask them to come and I can't leave out Serena." Ash said with a confident smile as he looked into Serena's eyes, holding their hands up which they had still intertwined.

"Marvelous!" Sycamore exclaimed, holding his arms up enthausiasticly before continuing. "Now regarding the infortmation. I have received word that your battle will be a 4 on 4 and you have to take two dragon type pokemon with you."

"Why's that?" Ash asked in a confused and surprised tone. "You see, gym leaders are accustomed to make their own rules and this is one to make it harder for the challenger. The World League is for the best of the best and this way they can test how you handle with type advantages or disadvantages." Sycamore explained.

"I see--" Ash said, holding his chin up with his indexfinger as he was deep in thought. "Is there already any information of where Ash will be battling?" Serena asked.

Sycamore held up his finger with a wide grin on his face. "As a matter of fact, yes! The location of your gym battle will be Opelucid City. The home of the Dragon type gym and also home of the Opelucid Academy, the most prestigeous school in Unova." He explained.

Ash's eyes lit up. "So that means I'm battling with Drayden!" Ash said. "Who's Drayden?" Serena asked, slightly confused.

"Drayden is the Opelucid Gym Leader. He's a tall man with white hair and a big white beard. He's known as the strongest gym leader in Unova and some say he is as strong as Lance, the Kanto champion. After I won my 7th badge against Brycen, he advised me to challenge him but after learning that Iris had some shocking memories there and the gym was closed anyway, we decided to go to the Virbank Gym where I battled Roxie with her powerful Koffing." Ash explained in a joyous tone.